Twilight Zone
by Nuttyginger
Summary: Buffy and the gang come to stay. Meet innuendo’s, family frolics, angelic smiles and Oh yeah…al whole lot of singing, which will leave the Slayerettes thinking they had stepped into the twilight Zone.
1. Movie Soundtracks

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters…Joss does (stop playing mind games with us) and Mutant (Grr Ahh) Enemy). The Lyrics aren'y mine either… Just used for plot value._

_Timeline: None of the bad stuff in S3 happened as bad stuff = sad stuff. Conner is about 18 months old and Fred and Gunn are engaged. __Virginia is a bigger part of Wesley's life and Cordelia's favourite shopping buddy. _

_Summary: Buffy and the gang come to stay. Meet innuendo's, family frolics, angelic smiles and Oh yeah…al whole lot of singing, which will leave the Slayerettes thinking they had stepped into the twilight Zone._

* Twilight Zone * 

_by_

_Nuttyginger_

A darkened out people carrier, and little red sports car drew up outside the rather grand-looking hotel. They had been told the business was expanding but this was ridiculous. Xander looked up the outside floors in awe.

"Hey, Dead Boy has money…How come we didn't see any of the dosh?" He felt a small punch on the arm. "What?"

"Angel isn't loaded. There must be a reason. Maybe he won the lottery or something." Buffy stated.

"Dead Boy is dead. He can't win the lottery. Maybe Cordelia did!"

Willow cleared her throat behind Buffy. "Maybe we just go in and say 'Hi!' to them." Giles agreed with his typically English reply. "Yes I agree."

They ventured into the vast reception of the hotel, each looking in a different direction. The setting sun cast a golden glow from behind them, illuminating the whole area. Their attention was only drawn away by a high pitches whine and a low, animalistic growl.          

"Angel will you just take off your shirt and stop being such a baby." The female voice was getting angry now. "Angel if you don't take off that shirt then I will…rip it from your body. Got me?"

Buffy, Willow, Spike and Giles peered around the corner to find Cordelia tugging forcefully at Angels shirt while Angel was trying unsuccessfully to pull it back without ripping it. Cordelia staggered backwards slightly as the black material in her hands gave way and ripped. 

            "Now look what you've done. You ripped one of the shirts I bought you. Will you just let me take off the bandages and we'll be done."

Angel let out a sigh and relented as Cordelia began to slowly unbutton Angel's shirt. "Cor, I'm a Vampire, I heal faster than anyone else. There is no need for this."

            "Angel, if I just left you to crust over I would feel like I was treating you like an animal…. I mean…"

            "Whoa, why is Cordelia undressing Angel? That is so disgusting." Xander exclaimed as he round the corner, not seeing everyone else trying to be stealth like.

Cordelia sprung up with the ability only a cheerleader would have and stood in front of Angel as if shielding him. "Xander, what are you doing here…Buffy, Willow, Giles…SPIKE? What is this? A mini high school reunion."

            "We were in LA, a sort of holiday to the city, and thought we would pop in and see if you could give us a place to stay…" Buffy said meekly. "I mean Cody told Willow that it was a hotel so I…"

            "It's Cordelia. Yeah a hotel that is moth-eaten, falling apart and you don't even want to see the size of the dust balls under the bed. Anyway this is a business not a put-me-up."

            "You, anyone home?" All heads swiveled and turn to look at Gunn. "Who you all? The Brady Bunch." He moved closer to Angel's office. "Damn girl, why you always gotta have Angels shirt off?" He turned and smiled lop-sided at Angel. "Any more of this and you know you're gonna be getting those happies again!"

            "Gunn." Angel muttered dryly. "This is Buffy, Willow, Giles, Xander and Spike. Also know as the Slayettes or the Scooby's!"

Gunn looked Buffy up and down, in a non-leery sense, and shook his head. "All this fuss about a blonde. I though you would have been taller!"

A walking Wesley shouted "EUREKA" at the top of his voice cut Buffy's biting retorted short. He rounded the corner with a huge tome open in his arms. "Ah hello Buffy, Giles…Spike? Angel I do believe the demon you were fighting last night was a Tomah demon. Not friendly, huge and particularly smelly. Ah yes and it spits fire."

            "Wesley, we got that one from the third degree burns on Angels back and torso. Wanna tell us something new?"

Wesley looked up and tried to stand Cordelia down, to little success. "Well the girl you saved last night dropped the cheque into the office this morning."

Cordelia smiled and Angel groaned. "Can I get my shirt back on Cor?" Angel whine. "Everyone is looking at me."

            "Well do you blame them you big salty goodness of Manpireness?" Lorne was now standing in the office doorway smiling at Xander who was shifting uncomfortably under the Hosts gaze. "Don't worry honey, you're not my type."

Buffy could do little but stand and watch as Xander's eyes did great impersonation of popping out of his head. Cordelia was quickly scouting over Angels body, which did little to help her resolve and Gunn was now sitting in the corner, oblivious to them, polishing an axe. "I think I need to get some air." Buffy stated and headed for the door. There came several voices of agreement from behind her.

_Outside the Hotel_

Buffy and Willow stood staring off into space, trying to sort out the last five minutes in their brains. "So what was that? They seemed like a…family and who was the guy in the clothes that clashed so badly I thought I was gonna have to get between them to stop a war."

            "I think he looked good in a retro throw-back kinda way." Willow mumbled. 

Xander groaned. "Well he freaked me out. The way he looked at me. Am I the only one saying major Eww?"

            "You're only sore because he knocked you back." Spike stated, blowing out a draw from his cigarette.

Giles rubbed his arms as a bid to warm up in the chilly air. "Why don't we go inside, we seem rude standing out here since we are their guests.

The group entered the hotel again to find that calm had settled and the Fang Gang wee now sitting on the two big couches that surrounded the TV and DVD player. They seemed to be fighting again.

            "Gunn give me the control!" Cordelia commanded. "I want to watch the Paris Fashion show."

            "Why to see what collection you WON'T be wearing this season." Gunn retorted. "'Sides, there's a Stallone movie on I wanna watch, Rambo."

Angel reached over and grabbed the remote from Gunn. "Thank you Angel." Cordelia said, sending a smug look Gunn's way only to see the channel flick to the Historical Channel. "Angel!" She whined.

The Scooby Gang watched as another strange face ascended the stairs rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. Cordelia's attention was now away from the TV and Gunn took full advantage.

            "Hey Fred, you awake now huh? Help me with the guys, feeling slightly out-numbered."

Fred looked sheepishly at the strangers in her home and scurried towards Cordelia, whispering in her ear. Cordelia started off for the stairs, taking them two at a time.

            "Fred, what's wrong with Cor?"

Fred curled herself up on Gunn's lap. "Oh nothing major, just Conner's awake and crying. Cody panics, Cody runs!"

Buffy felt a little rejected that this girl…Fred could call Cordelia, Cody but she wasn't allowed to. A pang of hurt raced through her until angry set in over Cordelia still being the Sunnydale Bitch. "So what do you for fun around here?" Buffy asked in a bored manner.

            "We hunt demons, fight visions, stop our ex-boss form turning into a soulless monster or visit a Karaoke bar where Angel subjects us to…Barry Manilow. We're sitting trying to figure out what's worse!" Gunn muttered, trying to shake Mandy from his mind while Fred giggled in his lap.

            "I fancy a bit of Karaoke.  What do you say Willow, Xander?" Giles asked. The two nodded. "We'll take the people carrier. Buffy?" She nodded. "Angel, Wesley, Gunn, Fred?"

Nods of agreement came from the small group congregated on the couch, now watching MTV happily. All eyes turned to the stairs as Cordelia slowly walked down the stairs, a tiny, chubby hand in hers. The little boy was wearing a full sized baby grow, his tiny feet encased in padding as he toddled across the floor only to be scooped up in Cordelia's arms to meet everyone. The Fang Gang all turned with bright smiles and said 'Good Morning' to the little boy in Cordelia's arms while Angel just beamed.

            "Conner." She said facing him. "This is Giles, Willow, Xander, Spike and lastly Buffy. They are friends of mommy and daddy. Say hello."

Conner waved with his free hand while keeping the other, with his thumb, firmly in his mouth.

            "Who are mommy and Daddy?"

Cordelia stifled a laugh. "Well I'm his mommy and if you look really closely you can guess who daddy is can't she." Cordelia cooed Conner as he rubbed his face with a tired fist.

            "He looks like…it can't be…" Willow gasped. "If I didn't know better, I would say he looks like Angel. That's impossible since Vamp…" Willow covered her mouth as Angel and Cordelia's smile widened. "You Had Sex!" Willow pointed a hand accusingly at him.

            "With Cordelia…" Buffy shouted and then turned to Cordelia. "YOU, you lying, cheating, scheming bitch."

Cordelia's grin dropped. "Hey! Watch your language in front of my son. He can pick up on words. And Angel didn't sleep with me. Conner is…" She caught Angel shaking his head, his eyes asking her not to spill his secret. "…Conner was born by artificial insemination. We respect the curse unlike some." Cordelia stared at Buffy. " Anyway. I'll stay home with Conner and you lot go off and have a great time without me. Me and Conner will sit and watch a movie!"

Lorne looked at Cordelia with a lop-sided smile. He could see it in her aura. She was going to make sure that no one got near her man…or, as he hoped, anywhere near her man-to-be. "Oh Honey, you go out with them, I'll watch the sprog. Going would be like a bus mans holiday and I don't travel well."

Cordelia's face lit up. "OK. Give me five minutes to put 'The Sprong'" She glared at the Host but he could see the humor in her eyes. "And then I'll be ready. I'll take Angels car just in case we are invaded again."

Cordelia quickly left before Angel could argue and was back again as tension hung heavy in the air. She went to grab for the convertibles car keys but Angel got there first, holding them above Cordy's head and watching her jump.

            "Angel! Give me the keys!" She demanded stamping her foot.

Angel just looked straight ahead, no expression on his face. "You are NOT driving my car. I don't want another bill from the garage 'cos you've bent the fender. I'll drive, you can ride shotgun."

            "But Angel." She whined and still no keys. "I'll give you…" She stood on her tiptoes and whispered in his ear. 

A goofy grin appeared on his face and he dropped the keys into her hand. The Scooby Gang watched with mouths wide open. Once outside, Gunn caught up with him.

            "What she did say she would give you huh? You just got this grinny look on your face which was scary man."

            "She's gonna give me her two tubs of Ben and Jerry's Fish Food Ice Cream that are sitting in the freezer at home."

Gunn walked away from him laughing as everyone piled into the cars. Cordelia slipped in beside Angel, who looked slightly unhappy to be without a steering wheel.

**_In the Sunnydale People Carrier! _**

They all sat, waiting for Buffy to explode. They could see it in her eyes, wanting just to vent her anger, disbelief anything. They just hoped she would do it before the got to Caritas. A Buffy-fuelled scene was the last thing they wanted in public. And then it came. 

            "Can you believe it? Cordelia has a kid with Angel. He wanted a baby with CORDELIA. Maybe she forced him to do it. She would do that."

            "Angel looked in Conner with nothing but love in his eyes Buffy. It's not the look a dad would give to a child be begrudged!" Willow added meekly.

            "Not helping Willow. And what was that goofy smile for? What was she going to give him? You don't think that they are…you know…TOGETHER!" She spat it like some dirty word.

            "Well it certainly looks that way." Giles answered.

Spike was sitting in the back of the shaded people carrier listening. "Listen Slayer. You dated that Prick Riley, not to mention that idiot Parker. You can't have double standards. You can screw around but he can't! You just want to have your cake and eat it and you can't stand the though that somebody doesn't worship you anymore!"

Buffy turned angrily in her seat. "Shut Up! Shut Up Spike or I swear I will stake your ass to a flagpole and wait for the sunrise."

            "Oh looks like I hit a nerve." Spike laughed to himself at finally finding the Slayers weakness.

**_Caritas_**

Wesley and Virginia were dancing slowly on the newly built dance floor as a Biswak demon crooned 'Lady In Red'. Cordelia was getting the drinks at the bar and Gunn and Angel were over the other side of the room talking to some demon that looked as if he had been dragged through a hedge backward. The Karaoke book lay abandoned in the middle of the table, the Sunnydale crew still coming to terms with the company they were sitting around. Willow breathed a sigh of relief as Cordelia came back from the bar carrying a silver tray full of different size glasses, smiling at the Biswak demon as she approached the table. Angel and Gunn made their way back to the table.

            "Right, two Bloody Mary's, the real thing, and one with extra Tabasco for Angel 'cos he's a hot kinda guy."

Buffy's eyes slanted with hate and anger.

            "A Margarita for Willow, a Slow Comfortable Screw for me..." she passed a side glance at Angel who smiled and almost chuckled. "An 8-year-old Malt for Giles, a Bud for Xander and Gunn, a Vodka and Red Bull for Fred - who's only allowed two - and a plain, and an old boring Pepsi for Buffy. They are all from Lorne so be nice to him."

            "So what are you going to sing tonight guys?" Asked Angel as he noticed the karaoke book was closed. 

            "Oh, I don't think I could go up there and sing in front of all those..." Buffy stuttered. "Things."

            "Oh Buffy, don't be so Xenophobic. I'll sing first then?" Cordelia flicked through the book and knew she had hit jackpot when her eyes lit up.

Cordelia just simply got up and reached the DJ's box.

            "We have a special treat for you tonight, ladies and hell-spawn. Miss Cordelia Chase, Seer Extraordinaire."

She stood nervously in front of the mike and just let the music carry her. The smile from Angel helped but didn't go unnoticed by Buffy...who was being watched by Spike.

            "_I feel it in my fingers, I feel it in my toes_." 

The room was silent and no one moved.

            "_Your love is all around me and so the feeling goes._

_            It's written in the wind, it's everywhere I go._

_            (Oh yes it is)_

_            So if you really love me, come on and let it show._"

She took a deep breath as the drums filled her ears.

            "_You know I love you, I always will._

_            My mind's made up by the way that I feel_

_            There's no beginning, there be no end_

_            'Cos on my love you can depend_."

Cordelia's gaze never wavered from Angel who had swiveled in the booth to watch her. All eyes were on her. She noticed, with some satisfaction that Buffy was the only one without a smile as the music calmed again.

            "_I see your face before me, as I lie on my bed_"

She remembered the time she slept in his arms with Conner between them.

            "_I kinda get to thinking, all the things you've said_

_            You gave your promise to, and I gave mine to you_

_            I need someone beside me, in everything I do._

_            You know I love you, I always will._

_            My mind's made up by the way that I feel_

_            There's no beginning, there be no end_

_            'Cos on my love you can depend._

_            God keep me moving"_

_            "It's written in the wind, oh everywhere I go_

_            So if you really love me, love me, _

_            Come on and let it show, Come on and let it show._"

Cordelia drew the mike away from her face and waited a moment...silence...then the whole room erupted into applause and calls for an encore. Cordelia bowed in a mock curtsy and left the stage to be folded into Gunn and Wesley's arms.

            "That was amazing Barbie. I never heard you sing like that before." He let her go and let Virginia hug her as well. They drifted apart and let Angel hold her. "I wonder what Lorne would have got from that huh?" He whispered in her ear and let her go.

            "Well I think it is the Brood Master's turn to sing and no Barry Manilow please." "No I beg, man. Anything but." Gunn joined in. "I must quite agree with Charles, Angel." Wesley added.

Buffy felt like the outsider again. It wasn't something she was used to. Everyone looked to her and came to her for help. Whenever Buffy was with Angel, she never had felt out of place but now she did and she didn't like it.

            "So let me get this right. First, Angel sings. I thought that socially retarded people didn't sing and secondly, there are people in here that can tell your future and read aura's just by hearing you sing? I give up Buff, Willies bar is a normal local compared to this!" He looked shocked "So what are you going to sing then Dead Boy?"

            "Just wait and see." But he wasn't talking to Xander, instead he had turned to Cordelia who was sipping happily on her strawberry drink."

Angel stepped into the spotlight and winced. "Hi, I'm gonna sing a song..." Groans echoed around the club. "I'll be good. This is for Cor, 'cos she's had it rough lately."

The drum beat bagan joined by the electric guitar and Angel nervously stepped forward.

            "_Pretty woman walking down the street,_

_            Pretty woman, the kind I like to meet,_

_            Pretty woman_

_            I don't believe you, you're not the truth_

_            No one could look as good as you."_

_            "**MERCY**_"

Cordelia stood up, "Come on Angel, move those hips." Buffy simply glared as Angel began to smile.

            "_Pretty woman, will you pardon me?_

_            Pretty woman, I couldn't help but see_

_            Pretty woman, you look lovely as can be_

_            Are you lonely, just like me?_"

His favorite part...

            "**_GRRR_**."

He heard Cordelia, Fred and Virginia all scream.

            "_Pretty woman, stop a while,_

_            Pretty woman talk awhile,_

_            Pretty woman give your smile to me,_

_            Pretty woman, yeah, yeah, yeah,_

_            Pretty woman, look my way,_

_            Pretty woman say you'll stay with me_." 

Angel was swinging his hips on stage, encouraged by Cordelia's growing smile into a 100-watt smile.

            "'_Cos I need you,_

_            I'll treat you right,_

_            Come with me baby,_

_            Be mine tonigggggghhhhht..."_

_            "Pretty woman, don't walk on by,_

_            Pretty woman don't make me cry,_

_            Pretty woman don't walk away...baby."_

_            "OK?_

_            If that's the way, it must be,_

_            OK,_

_            I guess I'll go on home it's late,_

_            There'll be tomorrow night, but wait..._

_            What do I see?"_

_            "Is she walking back to me?_

            "_Yeahhhhh_

_            She's walking back to me,_

_            Ohhhh Pretty Woman_"

He finished pointing at her and as the spot light scanned over the ecstatic audience he became all shy and self-conscious again until Cordelia took his arm and led him back to his Bloody Mary.

Buffy stood up and pulled Angel out of Cordelia's embrace. "Since when could you sing?"

            "Oh he sings in the shower all the time." Cordelia explained for him. With the amount of time Cody had told him to put a sock in it he couldn't deny the fact.

            "How do you know he sings in the shower? You stay in his room? Sleep in his bed. I bet you share all his showers don't you?" Buffy shouted angrily. No one else could hear her, as they were concentrating or dancing to Pinks, You Make Me Sick...the irony not lost on Cordelia.

            "Yes I have slept in Angel's bed, yes I have seen him in the shower and I know he sings in the shower the same way Gunn, Wes and Fred know...we can hear him!" Cordelia took a breath. Well it was almost true. She had put him in the shower after that really bad battle, just to get all the blood off him to clean his cuts and she slept in Angels bed a lot...Angel wasn't always there when she did though.

            "I knew it." Buffy seethed. "I knew you were sleeping together. You slut. You knew he would always love me and you still slept with him." Cordelia reached up to a resounding slap on Buffy face. "Cow!"

            "Now you have finally stopped shouting. So you were allowed to be the slut with Parker...I think that was his name and with Riley...where did he go? Not to mention Spike, like it good and hard I suspect." Buffy looked as if she had been slapped again. That was what Spike had said to her.

            "So you are sleeping together then?"

Angel went to answer but Cordelia stopped him. "I'm not telling you but we have a child called Conner so use your brain if the peroxide hasn't got to it. Hey isn't that Fred up there?"

Cordelia pointed to the thin girl on stage, boogying to the music of Cyndi Lauper. "How much has she drunk?" Cordelia noticed four glasses on the table and groaned.

            "_The phone rings in the middle,_

_            My Father yells 'What ya gonna do with your life?'_

_            Oh daddy dear, you know you're still number one_

_            But girls, they wanna have fun_

But girls just wanna have..."  
"That's all they really wan...nt  
Some fun,  
When the working day is done,  
Girls-- they want to have fun,  
Oh girls just want to have fun.  
Some boys take a beautiful girl  
And hide her away from the rest of the world  
I want to be the one to walk in the sun  
Oh girls they want to have fun  
Oh girls just want to have   
That's all they really want  
Some fun  
When the working day is done  
Girls--they want to have fun  
Oh girls just want to have fun,  
They want to have fun,  
They want to have fun..."

Buffy had been all but forgotten as they watched a very drunk Fred skipping about the stage like Cyndi Lauper did in the '80's.

            "All she needs now is red hair and some raggy clothes and we have ourselves a million dollar superstar!" Cordelia muttered dryly. "Who fed her the other drinks?" She asked the group. 

            "Sorry, it was me. She looked like she didn't have a drink so I bought her one." Gunn said followed by a nod from Wesley and Virginia. 

            "Great! I'll take her home. See ya guys." Gunn shouted as he hauled Fred gently off the stage.

Cordelia let out a yawn. "I think I'll do that same. I have collage in the morning so I will see you all later. Angel, are you OK to look after Conner or do you want me to take him to the crèche?"

Angel seemed to weigh up the options in his head. "Um…take him to collage with you. I think he could do with a trip into the sunlight." 

Buffy stared at them, the air of domestic bliss between them. The pang of jealousy ran deeper in her, causing more anger and pain to surface. She was meant to here with Angel, deciding where **their** child went. He wasn't meant to love anyone else but her…it was destiny. Right now destiny needed a helping hand to get back on track.


	2. Where'd He Go?

Dawnie now back to being a ball of energy 'cos she's just a ball of annoyance! 

**Sort of based on a look a '_Look Who's Talking'_ format for part of this chapter!**

****

**Chapter Two**

**~*~**

_Where'd He Go?_

__

Cordelia was up before everyone else. They had all been tired out from Caritas: Fred had to be carried back to their apartment by Gunn, who wasn't the happiest bunny in the field. Buffy and Co had retired to various rooms that were gradually being restored, Buffy as close to Angel as she could get…5 doors away. Cordelia had been finishing off an essay on Japanese history. It was perfect according to Angel but still she wanted it 'uber perfect'! Angel had found her asleep with her head in her arms on the table. She had awakened to find herself, still dressed, in Angel's bed, with Angel sleeping peacefully beside her. She had a room in the hotel but it just held clothes for when they came back from battles and she didn't want to go back home. 9 times out of 10 these days she stayed in Angels room. It was comforting to have Conner and Angel in the same room she knew they were safe.

Conner had been her alarm clock that morning. Waking up bang on 6:30. She didn't mind. He sat in his playpen, the Mickey Mouse covered ball keeping his attention long enough for her to shower in his nursery attached to Angel's bedroom and get dressed. She closed the door and dressed him, all without waking Angel up. Cordelia was glad…Angel was grumpy in the mornings.

She was down stairs feeding Conner, well trying to get at least half his breakfast in his mouth and not on his bib. She heard padding footsteps behind her.

            "Hey Buffy." Cordelia said, not turning around.

            "How did you know it was me?" Buffy asked sitting down beside Conner and tickling his tummy.

            "Don't know. Seventh sense. It works on Angel too. Buffy, can you not tickle him, he won't eat." Buffy withdrew her hand and looked at the floor. "So what are you doing today?"

            "Don't know. Thought I would look up some friends." Cordelia nodded, concentrating on Conner. "I thought since you're going to collage, I would take Conner. Saves him being stuck in a stuffy nursery all day."

            "I don't know Buffy. He's kinda weird with new people. He needs to be protected at all times as well. He's kind of unique and everybody wants a piece."

            "Well what's better protection than a Slayer? I had a sister Cordelia; I can cope with a baby for a couple of hours. And you don't need to haul his stuff on public transport. I know it can be hell."

            "I take Angels car. Listen I have a class at 9am and finish at 1pm. So be back here by 1:30ish so I can take him to the doctors. Tell Angel where you are going. He is very protective of his family. Keep a cell phone and don't give him anything but the food I give you. He's allergic to nuts and sensitive to sunlight, that's his daddy's fault isn't it." She was now talking to Conner. 

            "OK Jeez Cordelia, you sound as if you are organizing a small army, not taking a baby out for a few hours."

Cordelia laughed. "Hah, wait until you have to look after one yourself, then you'll know what it's like. You have to be prepared for anything." She looked at her watch. "Oh goodness, 8:30, I gotta run. Tell Angel where you are going and tell him I took the car."

            "What he doesn't know?" Buffy exclaimed, as a bottle was trust into her hands.

She laughed again picking up her books. "'Course not. It's his pride and joy. One day he will learn to hide the keys!" 

She fled though the main doors and the car roared away leaving Buffy holding the baby and the diaper bag. 

She picked Conner out of his high chair and he started to cry. Buffy panicked. He wasn't crying before. "Conner, come on. Please don't cry. Mommy will be back soon and them you can go to the doctors." He didn't stop. "Listen, I'll do a deal. I'll give you $10 and you stop crying." She flashed a $10 dollar bill in front of him and he stopped crying. "You just like your mommy…anything for money."

Conner took the bill from her hands and started to play with it. The fun was over though when the bill tore into little pieces and he began to fuss. Buffy was not happy. Babies were meant to be all smiles and cute things. 'Conner whines like his mom' Buffy thought.

            "Tell you what Conner." Buffy said as she slipped on his shoes and then hers. "We'll go to the mall and we can go to the toy shop. If your any more like your mommy, you'll love it. Undercover so you don't get burnt and mommy packed food so we can eat in a café. Oh your daddy will see how good a mother I can be and he'll come running back to me. Yes he will." Conner chose this moment to burp, loudly, and Buffy's smile dropped.

**_At The Mall:_**

The mall was packed solid with people. Conner sat happily in his three-wheeler buggy, looking at all the people around him. Life from knee level was very exciting, all these giants and strange clothes. He hoped that the strange woman would let him out soon and let him walk around. Mommy knew he didn't like being him in the three-wheel car, too much energy she said. The strange woman kept talking to him like he was silly. Opps.

            "Stinky, Stinky, **Stinky**." He shouted at the top of his voice.

The yellow haired woman stuck her head in front of Conner again. "What's stinky huh?" She sniffed then her face crinkled just like daddy's, without yellow eyes. "You smell. Oh Conner."

The buggy did a u-turn and into the mother and baby changing rooms. She put Conner down on the waterproof mat. Didn't she know you were meant to put paper down, it's cold you know. Conner giggled as she tried to figure out which way the diaper went on, holding all baby wipes as if they would kill her. The diaper went on backwards and then fell off, there was way too much cream and Conner's diaper kept slipping. The lady with yellow hair kept growling like daddy does to mommy whines.

Buffy had finally got the diaper on properly and it was staying on… an improvement at least. She pushed the buggy outside the baby room to find a queue of mothers and fathers waiting to use it. She pushed him down the long corridor but heard a scream behind her. Without thinking, she left the pram and ran off in the direction of the scream.

**_10 Minute Later:_**

Who would of thought you would find a Vampire in a shopping mall. Anyway he was dust on the linoleum floor. She headed back to where she had left the buggy to find it gone!

**~*~**

Buffy lost Conner…I love being a writer!! Way to impress Angel huh!


	3. The Way To A Man's Heart Is...

The Way To A Man's Heart Is...  
  
  
"China was a dangerous place to be in the 1900, the Boxer Revolution revealed many unexplained deaths…"  
  
Cordelia was listening to her lecturer drone on about the Boxer Revolution. She had to stifle a snort as the lecturer put the killings down to wild animals. 'No, it's my champion!' she thought to herself. A shrill ringing interrupted the muse and her lecturer. It was her cell phone in her backpack.  
  
"Hello?" She asked, flipping the phone open.  
  
Her lecturer tapped his foot in annoyance. "Young lady, if you won't mind taking that outside."  
  
She gathered her things and fled the theater.  
  
"Hello, is that Miss Chase? This is Riverside Mall. We have your son Conner in our care."  
  
Meanwhile:  
  
Where was he? Buffy's mind screamed as she frantically searched every buggy that passed her by. She had considered phoning Angel but he would see she couldn't be trusted with his son and never come back to her. Instead she would find Conner, get back to the hotel for Cordelia coming home and no one would be all the wiser. Easier said than done. Her eyes scanned frantically over the Mall area. The palace was huge and the person could have taken him anywhere.  
  
'Think rationally Buffy!' She mentally scorned. 'Find a security guard, ask him to find the baby…Angel's baby…should be my baby not Cordelia's'. She scorned herself again. Now was not the time to be getting self-centered (!). Just as she got to the security guard, an announcement in her name flooded the mall.   
  
'Oh Sh…'  
  
Meanwhile:  
  
"What do you mean, my son is in your care?" Cordelia was shaking, her knees threatened to give way as she slumped into a chair in the hall.  
  
"He was found outside of the Mother and Baby room. They brought him to us. He has a baby ID bracelet attached to his ankle."  
  
"He was meant to be with a family friend. Oh my God, I can't believe this. I'll be there as soon as possible." She muttered down the phone as she ran out of the collage main door.  
  
At The Mall:  
  
Cordelia stormed through the doors of the security room where she could see Conner sitting in his buggy being fussed over by female members of staff. She ran over to the buggy, scooping Conner out and holding him so close to her heart. He could probably feel the vibration as her heart went 20 to the dozen.   
  
"Ah, Miss Chase. We had someone check him over. He's fine, just a little hungry and tired." The head security guard told her, compassion in his eyes.  
  
"I thought…you think the worst. Can you do me a favor? Call Buffy Summers over the tannoy."  
  
Cordelia stood waiting for Buffy, knowing that her resolve to be forgiven was fading to a thread hold. The little blonde burst through the doors looking in all directions until she seen a red faced Cordelia holding a small child very close to her. Cordelia dumped the diaper bag in her hands, put Conner back in the buggy and then frog-marched Buffy out of the office.  
  
Cordelia took Angels car, followed by Buffy's. Cordelia didn't turn on the radio for Conner or anything; she sat in absolute silence until she reached the hotel. The baby carrier was in her arm and as she carefully took the steps to the hotel, not waiting for Buffy. Cordelia placed Conner in his playpen in her office and waited for Buffy, who sheepishly looked at the ground.  
  
"How the Hell did you manage to lose my son? Jesus Buffy. He is in a buggy the size of a Desert Storm tank and you still manage to lose him."  
  
"But there was a Vampire attacking…" Buffy started.  
  
"So you ran off, leaving my son in a Mall where he could have been snatched and taken away. Are you out of that peroxide infected brain of yours? He could have been taken…There was a case in England for Christ sakes Buffy. I can't believe you just ran off and left him."   
  
"What's going on?" Angel asked groggily, dressed only in a pair of black trousers.  
  
"The bottle blonde here managed to leave our baby outside a baby changing room to going chasing after creatures of the night. A passer-by found him an handed him in, like some piece of lost property."  
  
Angel turned to Buffy, his face paled. "What the Hell were you doing with my son? He was meant to be at daycare?"  
  
"You didn't tell him?" Cordelia flung her arms up in the air. "I can't believe this."  
  
Buffy still looked at the ground. "Well Angel was asleep and you know how grumpy he gets when you wake him up."  
  
"What you can't write a note? Buffy, Conner is very special. People are after his blood." Angel turned to Cordelia, "Is he OK?"  
  
"Yeah, happy as Larry. Doesn't have a clue." Cordelia turned to Buffy with cold eyes. "You so much as touch Conner and I will personally make you pay!" Cordelia walked away with Angel in tow.  
  
Buffy watched as they went into Cordelia's office. Angel's hands were on her shoulders. He asked her something and she started to cry, his arms enveloping her and bringing her close to him. Buffy watched in disgust as Cordelia wrapped her arms around his waist. OK plan A fail, now it was plan B time.  
  
Willows Room:  
  
It still looked like a hotel room: Bed, couch, desk with a kettle, tea bags, coffee and little cartons of milk.   
"Why does this place still look like a hotel and less like a home? I think Cordy said something about people could stay if they were in trouble. Cordy's idea. Angel wanted his space and that was what the hotel was meant to be. Angel whined. I've never seen Angel whine. I mean I hadn't seen him smile either." Willow rambled on. "Cordelia's great though. I mean she does this mother gig really well, and she's at collage just like us. Then at night she does the whole demon-fighting thing, which is really hard, and then she looks after Wesley, Gunn, Fred and Angel really well."  
"Well that's just peachy. Willow, I need your help. What is the best way to a mans heart?"  
"His stomach. Oz used to love Banoffee Pie. I borrowed one of Giles cookbooks, Jamie Oliver I think, and made him a huge one. We had a great night that night! Why who you got your eye on?" Buffy looked away. "Oh it isn't Gunn is it 'cos you know him and Fred are engaged."  
  
Buffy screwed up her face. "Eww. No! This guy doesn't eat, well much. So anything else?"  
  
"Angel Again?!" Willow exclaimed. "Well I guess Angel used to like poetry and books. He liked to brood, but I haven't seen much of that lately. Could try the little bookstore two blocks away. Wesley took Giles there this morning and Giles was like a child at Christmas when he came back. All old books and dust."  
  
"Willow, you're great. What would I do without you?" Buffy jumped off the bed and scurried out of the room before Willow had a chance to tell her the information she had discovered about Cordelia's condition, her way to fix it.  
  
Hotel Lobby:  
  
Buffy grabbed her purse and ran out of the hotel sending Wesley flying off his feet. 2 blocks, Willow had said and there it was. It looked creepy and dusty on the outside…just Angels type of place. When she went in she was shocked to find it was clean and homely. There were huge red sofas on both floors, the sanded wooden floors gleamed and there were people milling around, minding their own business. It seemed like Giles type of place. She looked above her head to find the sign that pointed to 'Old Poetry' only to find that there wasn't one. There was a willowy looking woman with long black hair was standing behind the gothic-looking checkout desk.  
"Excuse me. I am looking for a really old book of poetry for a very old friend of mine."  
  
"Is your friend Vampire, demon or human?" The old lady asked.  
  
Buffy looked at the woman in shock. "Um..Vampire, 250 years old...souled! I just want to get a present for him."  
  
"Honey, the way to man's heart can be through words, but I fear yours may fall on deaf ears."  
  
"I didn't come in for an agony aunt. I just want a book." Buffy huffed. The willowy woman pointed to the back of the shop.  
  
She scanned the books for any spines that looked ancient enough for the bicentennial Vampire. Buffy pulled out a book and looked at the gold engraving on the cover. 'Words of Rhyme' by someone called William DeNue. As she peeled open the first page she read the inscription. 'To Laura, Someone Else Speaks My Words For Me, Love Alexander March 1834' Perfect, Buffy thought, old and romantic. Just what she needed. Buffy smiled all the way to the hotel.  
  
  
Buffy rushed through the hotel to Angel's office to find him and Cordelia in deep conversation.  
  
"Ah Buffy, I wanted to talk to you. About what happened this afternoon." Angel said looking up from the plans they were looking at on his desk.  
  
Cordelia made a subtle exit, glaring at Buffy as she left the room. Obviously old wounds couldn't heal, neither could recent one.  
  
"You need to understand some things about Conner. He is a very special baby. I mean, I was never meant to have a child and now I do I am not about to let you take that away from me. Once day Conner will help in a battle and we will do anything we can to make sure he makes it that far. I don't expect you to understand. I mean Dawn was old enough to understand most of what was going on around her and Conner isn't. You aren't to take Conner out again unless there is someone else with you. This isn't something against you Buffy." They both heard a muffled 'Yeah Right' from behind the door. "I just have to protect my family."  
  
Buffy looked at the floor in shame. "I understand Angel. I bought you something to say sorry." She handed him the book.   
  
Angel turned it over in his hands before opening it. "Cordelia bought me the original copy of this when Conner was born." He smiled fondly and Buffy deflated. "But the inscription makes it special." He quickly added. "Thank-you Buffy."   
  
Everything seemed to be settled until a street-wise voice echoed through the hotel. "yo, yo, I heard someone lost the baby...The Slayer!" It was followed by a high pitched and deep laughter.  
  
Angel was left with a very pouty and embarrassed Slayer.  
  
~~*~~**~~*~~  
  
OK Part Three, over...part four half complete and lets just say it involves laundry, red socks and a tub of ice cream!!!!  
  
p/s: Sorry about the mistakes ScoobyGal55...tried to fix that in this one but read my profile for the reason why! 


	4. Going All Domestic

****

Going All Domestic

It was nightfall and thankfully the visions had stopped coming for the evening. Buffy, Willow, Fred, Gunn, Wesley, Giles, Xander and Spike were all at the picture house, Angel's shout. Cordelia was at her apartment but was dropping around any minute. Connor still hadn't settled himself down to sleep yet, teething was proving more of a challenge than he had anticipated. The table was set. His Seer deserved something special for being so understanding about Buffy and the gang being at the hotel, she was also still stress over losing Connor in the Mall. There were a few things Angel knew about Cordelia; a) she liked to shop and b) she liked his cooking. The candles were burning gracefully in the darkened room, the mid-night blue table cloth was pressed with a silver banner down the middle. The crockery matched as Lorne had dropped by the new cutlery he had ordered a while back when more people started staying at the hotel. Angel was casually dressed in a white shirt and black trousers, barefoot. Her favourite flowers were in the vase in the middle of the table. Proper pink roses, he was scared the red roses might remind her of Ms Calendar. He was nervous, it wasn't a proper date, just two friends having a chance to catch up. The last two weeks had been hectic with Conner starting Kindergarten in 2 months and Angel having problems with the apron strings. They had to talk about how Conner was going to get to and from nursery. That was he was cooking her a private dinner...he thought. He heard the door rattle in the lobby as it was being opened.

"Angel? Gunn? Lorne? Fred? Anyone? Don't tell me they all went out without me!" She mumbled to herself. "So you decided to become a total recluse then Angel. She spun around and faced him dead on.

"How did...they all went out to the movies. I didn't fancy 'The Fast and the Furious.' How was...Dennis?"

"Pluease. You didn't want to go and see a movie about gorgeous, fast cars?" She watched Angel's face twitch. "And since when did you start asking about Dennis? Have you gone happy and sadistic again? I warn you, this time I do keep holy water in my purse."

"No I just wanted to discuss Conner with you so i...um...i..."  


Cordelia sighed; it had been a long day without Angel stuttering. "Spit it out Brood-Boy!"

Oh boy, now she was getting angry with him, not the road he planned to take. "I cooked dinner, you've had a hard day and deserved a treat."

Her face softened right away. She gazed at the candlelight as he moved away then the roses caught her eyes. "Ah Angel, you're so sweet thank-you." She walked over and gave him a peck on the cheek. Angel turned away embarrassed. "So let me guess. You shouted everyone a night at the movies and dinner before...am I right?" She didn't wait for an answer. "I bet Conner is upstairs sleeping like a lamb and you quietly ran around the kitchen and rustled up a fab feast in oh...30 minutes!" 

She knew him too well. He took her bag and her coat, putting them in their room. Then he pulled down the chair and help Cordelia to sit down. Next came the food; for starters it was thick blue cheese soup with crusty bread followed by Guinea fowl with a warm redcurrant Jus. Angel had been the perfect Vampire host, eating small amounts of food so Cordelia didn't feel 'like a porker' as she put it. They were happily talking their way through dark chocolate torte with coffee ice cream when the door rattled again. Buffy strode into the room as bold as brass but stopped dead in the middle of the lobby, horror on her face.

"What the hell is going on here?" Buffy shouted in utmost horror. 

Cordelia got up and stood between Buffy and Angel. "Well we have a dining table, candles, dessert, knives and forks and two people sitting at this table. You wanna buy a clue Buffy? And keep your voice down, Conner is asleep." Cordelia yelled in a harsh whisper.

Buffy looked through Cordelia to Angel. "I thought you said you wanted an early night!" 

"Well I was going to." Angel smiled. Now Buffy was gob-smacked. "But I guess that flew out the window. Or should I say walked through the door! Why are you home anyway Buffy?"

"I had to...I had...I had to patrol! Giles orders. Just 'cos I'm on holiday doesn't mean I get to slack off." She walked away as if she had won the battle.

"Well I guess that's dinner over." Angel said picking up the plates.

Cordelia took the plate back off him. "No it isn't you grab the coffee while I sit in the lounge and eat my fantastic torte. Then why don't we live dangerously and leave the dishes 'till the morning."

Angel agreed and started the percolator. He frowned when he thought of Buffy. It was great that she was here and the rest of the gang, Xander at a push, but she didn't understand, their lives were very separate now.

Cordelia was just sitting down as the bell rang from the office. She let out a growl, cursing her idea to fit the thing. "Don't worry, I'll get it. Make mine an Irish coffee while you're at it."

The young man standing in the lobby looked terrified, his face resembling Angel's unnatural shade. His hands were twisted in and out each other, nails bitten to the quick. Cordelia knew how to handle the anxious. She approached him carefully and quietly, not too quietly as to make him jump.

"Can I help you?" She asked as quietly as she approached. 

He spun around to face her, his eyes darting from one direction to the next. "Um…I don't know. My problem is kinda weird. It involves…" He leaned in close, his eyes scanning the room. "…Scary stuff!"

Cordelia took a step back. "Oh we're good with the scary stuff. Just give us a brief description and we'll all get right on it. On the left-hand side of that form you should find a pricing plan if you would care to take a look at that."

The man was guided to a sofa and Angel slowly thrust a cup of warm coffee with a shot of brandy, into the man's hand and left him to it. The others weren't due back for another hour at least and Wesley, Gunn and Fred had agreed to stay away from the hotel that night and Willow, Buffy, Spike and Xander were going clubbing until the late hours. Giles was staying at Wesley's for a 'change in scenery'. Maybe he was just better at reading the signs better than the rest of the Sunnydale Gang. What ever was going on with the guy in the suit it was left to himself and Cordelia to deal with.

The man handed Cordelia the piece of paper and watched as she scanned it, waiting to see if her eyeballs popped out of her head but they remained firmly in place. She guided him softly over to the couch and set him down and turned to him.

"Now I have to ask this Mr…Foln, have you ever received any medical treatment for a mental condition?" The woman asked in a soft, gentle voice.

He stood up wobbly. "See I know you would think I was crazy as well. I tell you it's true."

"I was just checking." Cordelia answered in a more fustrated voice this time. "Now you say this whispering voice follows you where ever you go. Is it a husky sort of voice or a clear voice? Male or female?"

"What does it matter?" The man asked, a cup of coffee now in his hands.

Cordelia stood up and walked towards the library. "Well if it is clear or whispery then it is likely to be someone that has died and is just trying to say hello....or scare the living daylights out of you. Now if it a husky voice then it is usually a demon or some other hell beast trying to drive you mad or trying to kill you." Cordelia muttered as if bored already.

"It started when I moved into my apartment. I thought it was just nightmares but then it started to follow me around. I've tried garlic, four-leaf clover and a rabbits foot..." He stumbled at Cordelia's guff. "So I guess you guys are my last hope."

Cordelia popped the pen down into her lap. "Do you have any idea what it looks like?"

"Yeah, taller than me, a pallet on top of his head like the dinosaur with three horns in Jurassic Park. It had a green-blue face and a huge red clock. He looks like he is floating."

Cordelia stood up and reached for the phone. "Well Mr Foln there is a room here if you don't feel safe in your apartment. I'll call in our team and you'll soon be free of your monsters, of the demon kind." 

The phone was tossed from hand to hand. To call in the gang would spoil the cosy evening, not that Buffy hadn't did that already. A voice filled the phone asking her to enter a numeric message…911.

****

20 Minutes Later:

7 frantic faces ran through the large doors of the hotel, sending their new client scattering across to the other side of the room.

"So what did we get this time?" Gunn asked. "A cult? Scaly water beast? Or baby puke on Cordy's best silk shirt?"

Cordelia threw Gunn a frosty look. "It sounds like the thing that was here when that drove the other people crazy. Mr Foln here needs some help so hit the books and the training room." Cordelia instructed gently. 

The group deemed to take her commands and seated at the table the books already flying off the shelves. Buffy and Angel went to the training room while Spike was told and forced to 'SIT DOWN'. Cordelia realised that Angel and Buffy had a past and fighting was the way they sorted everything else out.

****

Half and Hour Later:

"So then Cordy, what do you think Angel and Buffy are up to down there? Buffy always gets horny when she fights. If I remember, so does Angel. One time he came home and chased me around the house. When he caught me, he pinned me up against the wall and…" Spike ducked as Cordelia threw her little block nail file at him. "Hey, that bloody nearly hit me. As I was saying, I get they're getting pretty damn hot down there." Spike turned and started to walk away. He didn't see the 10 volume demon book that hit the back of his head and he landed on the floor beside the book. "That bloody hurt you bloody yank." He muttered, looking up to find Cordelia standing over him, her hands on her hips and a smirk playing on her lips.

"Aww, did I hurt the little Spikey puppy…Good!" She deadpanned. "Anyway, Angel knows the 'No-Other-Female' rule, where as Buffy is a proper little Vamp Layer." She watched in satisfaction as Spike frowned. "Aww, now you're not the happiest chipped Bunny in the field."

Spike's frown increased as Angel came back upstairs, sweaty and a smile on his face as he saw Spike on the floor with Cordelia standing over him.

"I'll get you back Cheerleader." Spike promised in an unconvincing fight-back.

Cordelia snubbed. "Ohh, I'm scared Spikey. What ya gonna do Spikey? Snarl at me until I die from laughter, Spikey?"

Cordelia walked away as Spike began getting back on his feet, Buffy watching in discontentment as Cordelia tried to tame another one of 'her' men.

Wesley, who had been too engrossed in his books to notice the tension in the room got to his feet and punched the air. "I think I have it. A simple spell to summon the demon here and then an incantation to send him back to the hell dimension from which he came. Quite easy really." Giles nodded as if the group needed his approval before they could do anything. "I'll go to the store and pick up the relevant herbs ect and then we can sort this out. Shouldn't be too long Mr Foln and you can safely back to your apartment again."

"Do you need me Wes?" Cordelia asked, feeling the day's events catching up with her.

Wesley looked at their drawn Seer and smiled in comfort. "Sure Cordelia, let Angel take you upstairs and Virginia will bring you up some tea later, if you're awake."

Angel took Cordelia in his arms as he carried her upstairs, under Buffy's scrutinous glare. The gang set to work on the spells while Wesley and Willow went to the shop down the block to the old lady's magic shop. 

Angel settled Cordelia onto the bed, her eyes already beginning to droop as he sat down beside her. She was still smiling at him, her grin was contagious.

"Thank-you for dinner Angel, I don't deserve you sometimes." She smiled at him again, as her eyes closed. "Don't worry, I'm just resting my eyes."

Angel took her hand in his. "No Cordy, I don't deserve you. I know how much you wanted a normal life after Sunnydale and I know I can be a reminder of Sunnydale, you know of Miss Calender, but I just wanted to say thanks for staying, you know after Darla. It was all going great until Buffy showed up."

"I know that you think of me as a reminder too, of Buffy and the eternal torment that is the Angel and Buffy saga. I'll understand if you ever want to go back to Sunnydale, you know when you shooy. I can finally see about that acting career and come through every now and again to see the little guy. You will have to tell Buffy that Conner isn't mine but I am sure she will be glad." Cordelia was rambling to herself as she drifted deeper into her sleep. "And we will always love you, you know that. We're family. "She laughed to herself before finally the sleep claimed her.

"And I'll always love you Cora." Angel whispered as he pulled away from the bed and headed downstairs.

****

Downstairs:

Buffy looked up as she heard Angel descend the stairs, a grin on his face which she had never seen before. It was a contented grin. Whatever had happened upstairs had left him pretty happy. Geez, this was all she needed…Cordelia trying to give Angel happies.

"You look rather happy mate." Spike muttered. "I think that someone has been getting some. Well done, about time." Spike slapped Angel forcefully on the back, in congratulations or in jealousy he couldn't tell.

Buffy huffed up to Angel and started poking him in the chest. "We're trying to sort out your business problems and you're upstairs boning Cordelia." 

Angel stood speechless and desperate to merge into the shadows as the Scoobies stared at him, daring him to deny Buffy's claim. None of the small gathering heard the door open behind them.

"Oh, Angelcakes hasn't been getting any, well not in the last 6 years anyway. Nope, my little Spikey apple strudel here is the only Vampire who has been getting some recently. Angelcakes regularly grins when his Seer is involved.

Willow grinned at Lorne's description of Spike and joined Xander in trying to hide her innocent laughter. "Lorne, good to see you again. So why is Spike an apple strudel?" Willow asked, having became good friends with the demon after she had visited Angel after Buffy's 'death'.

"Well hello there my favourite redhead. Spike is an apple strudel because his pastry outside hide his deliciously sweet stuffing!" They all chuckled. "Now since this 911 isn't so 911y, Angel here is going to cook us one of his special omelettes and I'm going to rustle up some Sea Breezes."

Angel looked at Lorne in uncertainty. "Nope, I've got laundry to do. A baby in the house means a lot of smelly clothes." Angel muttered backing away from the group.

Buffy saw here chance. "I'll do your laundry…you can't deny this people your cooking. Just save some for me." Angel watched in confusion as Buffy ran up stairs to his room.

"Since when did Buffy do laundry?" Angel asked the Sunnydale crew.

"Never!" They all chorused. 

Angel simply shook his head and headed for the kitchen. He could already hear Lorne seating his spectators around the bar in the other part of the West wing. He smiled, the hotel was once again full of life as it always should have been.

****

Meanwhile:

Buffy threw her head from side to side, looking for a pile of laundry. In the corner of the nursery she spotted what looked like a pile of dirty baby-grows and white shirts. She gathered them in her arms and rushed down to the basement where Angel kept the washing machine and tumble dryer, well a Vampire couldn't hang out clothes to dry in the sun could he? She guessed the amount of detergent, thinking that you could never have too much and then in with the fabric softener. She closed the door and turned the dial to boil. As Buffy stood up, she clasped her hands together and smiled. Angel would see, she could be a great mom too. The smell of eggs drew her up from the plastic-flower decorated basement and back into the dimmed light of the hotel.

"Um, something smells good. Angel must be cooking again." The Fang Gang turned around to find a sleepy looking Cordelia standing at the top of the stairs with a very much awake Conner in her arms.

"Angel, darling. Didn't you hear our son calling for you?"

Angel stood mid action with the plate about to be set on the table. "I didn't hear the baby monitor go off." He stares at the modern piece of technology that Cordelia had made him buy.

"Oh it was making all these hissing noises that were bugging me so I turned it off." Buffy said simply carrying her plate over to the table.

Angel went to give Buffy another lesson on child care but instead Cordelia put a finger to his lips and walked calmly over to Buffy.

"You see Buffy, this little scale her…" She pointed to a arc in the monitor with green and red lights flashing. "…the green lights mean that Conner is breathing and the red ones…" She pointed to the alarmingly bright red lights, "…means that Conner has stopped breathing for more than 20 seconds. Now if this happens, an alarm sounds but only when it's TURNED UP." She muttered sternly through gritted teeth. "Also it tells us if he's crying so you see…if you ever touch this monitor again I WILL PERSONALLY MAKE YOU PAY. Do I make myself clear?"

Buffy still stood there with her hands on her hips, not quite sure why she was wrong or why Angel was letting Cordelia talk to her like that. "Yeah, sure whatever." Buffy turned back around and sat down to eat.

"Looks like you've been put in your place Slayer, by the Peaches chit." Spike laughed softly. "Ouch that bloody hurt. I really wish you would stop hitting me."

Cordelia walked away from the neutered Vampire after slapping up-side the head. "Spike, stop stirring things. Now do you want your blood with or without cinnamon?"

"Um…what? With, I think." Spike muttered, not too sure what the cheerleader was up to. 

A minute later she was back with two tall glasses of warmed blood, sprinkled with a brown looking substance on top.

"Hey chit, I think this blood is off." Spike said handing Cordelia the glass back.

"Nope, that's just cinnamon. It takes away some of the bitterness." Angel answered him grinning.

"Stop grinning at me. It's scaring me." Spike raised the glass up to his lips and drunk. "Yum. Oh this is good and a body temperature. God, can I take the chit home with me?" Angel glared. "Hey Slayer, think you could do this for me when we get back to Sunnyhell?"

"In your dreams!"

"Always Slayer. Always."

****

Later:

Gunn, Wesley and Fred had disappeared to Mr Foln's apartment to banish the demon while Spike, Buffy, Angel and Giles trained down in the basement. Xander was sleeping on the couch in Wesley's office. Willow and Cordelia were sitting in the lobby while Conner squirmed happily in his mother's arms. 

"You are a natural mother Cordelia. I mean you and kids…I never thought. I mean…"

Cordelia interrupted to save the redhead some embarrassment. "Yeah well things have to change at some point Will, and call me Cordy, everyone else does."

"Ok, Cordy." Willow tried it out. "I was thinking about your visions earlier and when Giles went to the bookshop I asked him to pick up some reference material. It was a book written on the Powers That Be. Wesley told me that they were your bosses, if you like. Anyway this book told the story of a human who had visions about 200 years ago. She had a Champion just like you but they fell in love, but denied all knowledge of it to each other. It kinda got me thinking so I read some more. I know the visions are killing you Cordy. They were killing Emily as well, the girl 200 years ago. Anyway she was rendered catatonic by a sever vision and as her Champion sat by her bed, he finally told her how he felt. He told her everything, how long he had watched her longing to kiss her, how he blamed himself every time she received a vision, everything. So he bent down to kiss her goodbye and as he went to leave, she sat up and called his name. The Powers had linked them in a bond. As long as the Champion was alive, the Seer would be too. I kinda reminded me of you and Angel and I th…"

"Woe, woe Willow, back up a little. Me and Angel aren't in love with each other so there goes your theory."

"But Fred told me about Kyrumption. About you and Angel. When the souls of two warriors come together in love. She said you had it. I just…baby…dinner…"

"I mean, I…love Angel but he doesn't love me back. He still loves Buffy" Cordelia admitted sadly.

Willow cocked her head to one side. "It doesn't look as if he loves Buffy anymore from where I have been sitting. I seems that He stopped loving Buffy a while ago. The way he cares about you, the way he stares at you when you aren't looking and when you are how he takes swift glances in your eyes. I've been here just two days and I can see that, that Vampire in the basement, the one with brown hair I mean, loves you head over feet."

Cordelia sat back on the chair, holding the now sleeping Conner close to her. Angel…love…her. Nah, impossible. He loved Buffy, they had this eternal 'Let-Torture-Ourselves-And-Each-Other' vibe going on. Sure she knew he stared at her, sure dinner was nice tonight, sure there was that one time on the pier when they nearly kissed, sure… "Oh my god, Angel loves me!"

"Yep and all you have to do is get him to admit it then have True Love's First Kiss. But I doubt you'll turn into a troll like in Shrek."

Cordelia placed Conner gently in Willow arms and stormed off across the lobby towards the basement.

The butterflies in her stomach weren't going away but there was no may in hell she was backing out of this now. She could see Angel sparing against the punch bag while Spike kept a good hold.

"Why. Didn't. You. Tell. Me?" Cordelia yelled while poking him on his sweaty, naked chest with every word. 

"Huh? Um…didn't tell you what? What didn't I do?" Angel stuttered, backing away from the advancing Seer.

"Why. Didn't. You. Tell. Me. You. Loved. Me?"

The whole basement sunk into a silence as all eyes were on Angel. He looked anywhere but Cordelia's eyes. He was scared. Really, really scared now. How did she know? The only on that knew was Conner and Lorne. Lorne was unable to contact him and Conner…Oh had Conner started talking? "I um…"

"Spit it out Brood-Boy."

Cordelia was still standing there with her hands on her hips. It wasn't meant to be like this. They were meant to be alone, there was meant to be candles and soft music. Not in smelly basement with Cordelia angry and all-in-sundry watching him.

"Snap out of it." She took a step closer to him. "Willow thinks we're in love with each other and she says if it's true you could stop me dying, so tell me already."

Angel scuffed his feet along the ground as he took a step closer to her. "Cordelia, Cordy…This is hard for me, I mean I'm scared that it's unrequited."

"Oh believe me Angel, I'm right there with you. I love you too." She waited for Angel to answer her but instead he just looked dumbfounded by the whole thing. "I. Love. You. Too! So do something spontaneous for once in your undead life and tell me how you feel." Geez how much pushing sis a dead man need?

Angel took a deep breath. An unneeded action but one to quell the butterflies in his stomach. "I love you Cordelia Chase." He matched towards her, scooping her up into his arms and pulling her to him. Her scent was intoxicating, flooding his senses. He lifted her chin gently upwards and connected his lips with hers. The heat seared him but still he pushed further. I was almost too much for him. Inside he could feel a connection with his Seer forming inside his heart, filling him with so much love he felt he would burst. Quickly he pulled away.

"No, this is too much…too much happiness. We have to be careful"

Cordelia swatted him across the chest. "I anchor your soul just like you anchor my life. "

He pulled her into a kiss again and there was the connection. Some how he didn't need her to explain it all, he just knew. "So where now?"

"Well Conner is running out of clean laundry so why don't I get the washing done?"

Ah domestic life. Angel smiled. "Oh Buffy already started it."

Cordelia walked over to the machine and peered into the drum. "What colour wash is in the machine?" 

"White why?" Angel asked walking towards her.

"So why is the water pink?"

"BUFFY!"

**__**

Wow that was so long, like nearly 5000 words. Cool.

Ok do I continue with a chapter dealing with Buffy and the pink water + The scoobies finally leaving? Or is that a good enough ending? I really can't decide.

Flames Welcome as always.


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